Who Should Direct the Next 'Star Wars'? The Internet Has Some Ideas

Now that the director’s chair is vacant for 2019’s Star Wars: Episode IX following Colin Trevorrow parting ways with Lucasfilm Tuesday, it turns out that the internet has some opinions about who should guide the latest space opera trilogy to its conclusion. And, by “some, we mean, "an astonishing outpouring.”

Almost as soon as the news of Trevorrow’s ouster was released, social media was abuzz with potential contenders for his replacement. While both Episode VII and Episode VIII’s directors are apparently in the running, Twitter — unencumbered by the financial realities of managing a massive multi-billion dollar business that employs thousands around the world — had far more interesting ideas.

Now that the next STAR WARS movie needs a director again, we can finally reverse a historical tragedy: Give it to David Lynch.

(Lynch has reportedly been in the running for 1983’s Return of the Jedi, only to turn the job down. As everyone knows, that decision doomed his career and he was most recently seen directing some small TV show that no-one had heard of. What year is it?)

Back when The Force Awakens came out, I asked J.J. Abrams who should direct #StarWars.

Of course, all of these ideas might sound fascinating to an outsider, but if there’s one consistent thread in Lucasfilm’s creative decisions while sidelining original directors to date (Rogue One bringing in Tony Gilroy for reshoots and editing, the Han Solo movie hiring Ron Howard), it’s to go for the “safe” option of a pair of white, male hands. In other words, unless Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy suddenly gets a lot more adventurous in the next few weeks, don’t get your hopes up too much for any big shake up, internet.